26 [ No. 96 i GEOGRAPHY : ZANZIBAR tive of moisture. Palms and clove trees thrive on the higher ground ; rice is cultivated in the swampy hol lows.

None of the streams of either island are of any con siderable size or length, but in wet weather many of them swell to torrents and flood the lower valleys , this being especially the case in Pemba.

( 3 ) CLIMATE In the islands, as on the coast, there are two rainy seasons. The greater rains usually occur between the middle of March and the end of May, the lesser in November and December, though sometimes not till January. The rainfall on Zanzibar island in average years ranges from 60 to 70 ins.; in Pemba it is usually somewhat higher. The rains in Pemba are generally a few weeks later than in Zanzibar.

The south -west monsoon begins inApril or May and blows steadily till September; it is followed by a period of variable winds. The north -east monsoon begins in December , continuing till March, and is also succeeded by a similar period of varying winds . The prevalent winds are not violent.

The extreme range of temperatures in Zanzibar Island is from 600 to 98° F. ( 152° to 362° C. ) . In Zanzibar Town the absolute maximum and minimum temperatures in 1916 were 93° and 69° F. ( 34º and 201° C. ) , while the means of maxima and of minima for the year were 85° and 76° F. (291° and 241 ° C. ) . The range of temperatures in Pemba averages a few degrees less than in Zanzibar.

The hottest part of the year is from January to March, but November, December, and April are also trying months.

(4 ) SANITARY CONDITIONS The climate of Zanzibar thirty years ago had an evil reputation. In recent years, however, the general health of the inhabitants has certainly improved, in